Having failed to prevent canal water theft in Mahendragarh district despite taking several steps in this regard, the authorities have now decided to rope in the villagers to deal with the situation. A surveillance committee would be constituted at village level to assist the irrigation officials in preventing the canal water theft.
The panchayat members and other villagers would be the part of this committee. This apart, the authorities have also chalked out a village-wise new schedule for releasing canal water. The decisions to this effect were taken during a joint meeting of farmers and administrative officials that was chaired by Mahendragarh ADC RS Verma at Canal Rest House in Narnaul town.
The meeting that lasted for over two hours on Saturday also resolved to form a joint vigilance committee of Irrigation and Police officials to coordinate the surveillance committee in checking the canal water theft.
The surveillance committee at every village located both sides of the canal would be formed within next two weeks so that the formula could be put in place from December 21, the day when next circle of releasing water in the canal would start. “The village sarpanchs have been asked to select the member of their surveillance committee at the earliest. The committee will not only keep a tab on the farmers but also inform the vigilance committee if it finds any farmer stealing the canal water. The committee members will also carry out patrolling in their area concerned to prevent the water theft,” RS Verma told The Pioneer. He informed the authorities were vowed to ensure the canal water in tail-end villages so that farmers residing there could also use the water to meet their agricultural requirements. Police cases would be registered against those found stealing water even after this new arrangement, Verma added.
The irrigation officials are facing an uphill task to make the canal water available at tail-end as the farmers are not only stealing the water publicly through engines, pump-sets and other equipments but also not hesitating to hold those officials hostage, who try to prevent them from doing it.
The farmers had kept a team of Irrigation Department, including two Junior Engineers and as many cops hostage near Taajipur village in the district for over two hours when they went there to check the water theft six days ago.